Dardistan

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Dardistan ( Land of Dardu, formerly Darada ) is largely historical name for a landscape in the Himalayan, the northwestern part of Kashmir (and thus controlled by Pakistan), in the north of the Karakorum (mean pass 5550 m ) in the west of the mountain range, the Tschitral in the north completes ( with peaks up to 5594 m altitude), in the east of the mountain range between the Indus and the Krischnaganga ( Diamer, 8114 m) and is bordered in the northeast by the landscapes Rongdo and Balti. Dardistan therefore measures approximately 100 km in both North and South, as in East-West direction. The name Dardistan was used mainly by Europeans and from the other side of the Indus adjacent inhabitants of Kashmir.

Administratively Dardistan is part of Pakistan's Gilgit- Baltistan special territory that was called until 2009 Northern Areas, and comprises two districts of this management unit:

The Highlands consists of many valleys, whose average height is 1500 to 2000 m. Explored by Europeans was first the valley of Gilgit by Hayward, who was murdered here in 1870 and by Leitner, the Government of the Punjab in 1864 to linguistic studies sent there. A first expedition under Adolf von Schlagintweit failed 1856 uprising in Gilgit. The Gilgittal is rich in wine and apricots; Also wheat is grown.

The valleys on either side of the Indus are similar to the climate and the nearby Tschitral grown produce; the mountain areas, however, are rather inhospitable. The area also existed for centuries used gold deposits.

Dardistan is relatively inaccessible. Only Gilgit and the upper Indus are accessible by maintained roads. The resident people of Dardu committed to Shia Islam and was buddhist in pre-Islamic times. The two main tribes are the Jeschkun and Shin, who were advancing in succession in the area. The Jeschkun be z.T. identified with the Yuezhi, who had immigrated from Sinkiang from the 2nd century BC to Bactria. The Shin other hand, are probably of Indian origin, because with them the cow is revered as sacred. In the way of life the Dardu resemble the other inhabitants of Kashmir, but the language is related to Sanskrit and consists of several dialects, often with words of Persian origin are included; the characters used are Persian.

Historically small khanates have formed in the valleys, which were mostly in battles with the Raja of Kashmir. After this had become a vassal of the British Crown in 1846, came the high mountain valleys of Dardistan under the influence of the British, pushed forward the exploration and development of the area, especially Kashmir was considered a strategically important outpost against possible Russian incursions into India. After dismissal of India and Pakistan 's independence there were between the two countries went to war over Kashmir, which was completed in 1949 with the establishment of the "Line of Control".